Ridge type roof ventilator device



Dec. 2, 1969 M. c. BELDEN RIDGE TYPE ROOF VENTILATOR DEVICE Filed May13, 1968 I N VENTORv FIE4 BY Maeuwa C 3510 50 4rr0P/um5' U.S. C]. 98-426 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A roof ventilator device mounted instraddling relation on the ridge line of a roof including a pair ofsimilar lateral sections hingedly connected together. Each sectionincluding a lower wall, a lower side wall, an upper side wall, verticalend walls and a top wall, the latter being hinged to the top wall of theother section to permit adjustment of the device to accommodatesubstantially any roof regardless of the pitch thereof. The vertical endwalls of each section including inner portions disposed in overlappingrelation with end portions of the adjacent end walls of the othersection so that a closure is formed at the ends of the ventilator deviceeven though the ventilator device is adjusted during installation.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Although ridge-type roof ventilators arecommercially available, some of these commercial types are comprised ofa plurality of parts which must 'be assembled when the divice is appliedto the roof. Other commercial devices can be adjusted only by bendingthe ventilator at its apex to accommodate roofs that vary in pitch.Since these ventilators are sometimes quite long this bending isdiflicult. Further these types of ridge ventilators if bent foradjustment also require provision of different end plates.

The present invention is directed to a ridge-type roof ventilator whichis highly effective for ventilating air from an attic or similar space,and which is adjustable to fit substantially any roof regardless of itspitch. Since the various components of the present ridge-type roofventilator are interconnected together, there is nothing to assembleduring installation of the device. Although the end walls of theventilator device are arranged and constructed to permit adjustmentduring installation of the device, these end walls form a watertightclosure so that the present ventilator device permits hot moist air tobe exausted from an attic but prevents the intrusion of moisture intothe attic space.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF TH DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspectiveof a building incorporating ridge-type roof ventilating devices,

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the ridgetype roofventilator device,

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of the ventilator deviceapplied to a roof having a predetermined pitch,

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but illustrating the ventilatordevice diagrammatically in section applied to a roof having a differentpitch, and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale of the hingemechanism of the ventilator device illustrating details of constructionthereof.

DETAILED RESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, itwill be seen that United States Patent O "ice one embodiment of thenovel ridge-type roof ventilator device 10 is thereshown. Thisventilator device 10, as best seen in FIG. 1, is adapted to be mountedon the peak or ridge of the roof of a building to permit effectiveexhausting of hot moisture laden air from the attic or similar space ofthe structure. It is desirable that the ventilator device be adjustableso that it may be mounted upon the roof regardless of the pitch thereof.In this regard, the present ventilator device is comprised of a pair ofsimilar lateral sections 11 which are hingedly connected together topermit the desired adjustment. The entire ventilator device is formed ofa suitable rigid metal preferably of a type which is non-corrosive, suchas aluminum or the like.

Each lateral section 11 includes a substantially flat lower wall 12.This lower wall 12 of each section has its longitudinal inner marginalportion bent upwardly to define an upturned flange 13 as best seen inFIGS. 3 and 4. The terminal portion of the upturned flange 13 is alsobent in angular relation thereto to define an outwardly projecting lip14. It will -be noted that when the ventilator device 10 is applied to aroof, the lower walls 12 of the respective lateral sections are spacedapart as are the upturned flanges 13 to define a generally verticallyextending throat 15 through which the air circulates.

Each lateral section 11 also includes a lower side wall 16 which asshown extends upwardly and outwardly and has an outturned flange 17integrally formed with the lower edge thereof. It will be noted thatthe' outturned flange 17 is integral with the outer longitudinal edge ofthe lower wall 11 so that the flange 17 is actually bent upon the lowerwall 12. The lower side wall 16 of each lateral section has a pluralityof elongate slots or openings 18 formed therein at the juncture of thelower side wall and its associated outturned flange. These openingspermit water to drain therethrough in the event that any moisturecollects interiorly of the ventilator device.

Each lateral section 11 also includes an upper side wall 19 which is offlat construction and is integral with the lower side wall 16. The upperside wall 19 is also integrally formed with a top wall 20 which ishingedly connected to the top wall of the other lateral section 11. Itwill, therefore, be seen that the lower Wall, lower side wall, upperside wall and top wall of each lateral section are integrally formedfrom a single blank of material. The upper side wall 19 of each lateralsection extends upwardly and inwardly from the lower side wall while thetop walls which extend inwardly extend upwardly at only a relativelyshallow angle.

Each of the upper side walls 19 has a plurality of inwardly struck smallfixed louvers 21 formed throughout the major portion of the lengththereof and generally known in the trade as eyebrow louvers. It will benoted that these louvers are arranged in vertical rows and define anopening 22 between each adjacent louver 21. These louvers are generallypointed upwardly at an angle and permit air to flow therethrough whileminimizing any tendency of moisture to pass downwardly therethrough. Itwill be noted that each adjacent row of louvers is separated by smallvertical strip 23 so that the louvers 21 are symmetrically arrangedthroughout substantially the entire major portion of the surface area ofthe upper side walls. These louvers may be formed by a stampingoperation which is well known in the art.

The top wall 20 of each lateral section is of imperforate constructionand is hingedly connected to the top wall of the other section by hingemechanism 24. This hinge mechanism 24 includes a pair of elongate hingeelements 25 each being integrally formed with one of the top walls 20and projecting upwardly and outwardly therefrom. In

this regard, it will be noted that each hinge element 25 is formed bybending the inner longitudinal edge portion of one of the top walls 20upwardly, then slightly outwardly so that each hinge element extendslongitudinally substantially throughout the major length of each topwall 20.

The hinge mechanism 24 also includes an elongate exterior hinge element26, which as shown, is of generally circular cross-sectionalconfiguration but which has a slot 27 formed therein throughout thelength thereof. It will be noted that the interior hinge elements 25extend through the slot 27 and into the interior of the exterior hingeelement 26. Small, generally cylindrical closure cups 28 are positionedin opposite ends of the exterior hinge element 26 and are securedthereto to prevent the intrusion of moisture through the ends of thehinge mechanism. This hinge mechanism 24 permits the lateral sections toswing towards and away from each other about substantiallylongitudinally axis so that the ventilator device may be accurately andconveniently positioned upon the peak of a roof regardless of the pitchthereof.

Each lateral section 11 also has a pair of imperforate verticallydisposed end walls 29 each affixed to one end thereof. Each end wall 29of each lateral section is of flat metallic construction and is offive-sided configuration. The marginal edge portions adjacent four ofthe five sides are bent outwardly to define an outturned peripheralflange 30 which is positioned against and secured to the inner surfaceof the associated lower side wall, upper side wall, top wall and lowerwall. It will be noted that that portion of the outturned flange 30which overlies the lower wall 12 of each lateral section 11 projectsinwardly beyond the inner edge of lower wall, and the juncture betweenthis portion of the outturned flange and the end wall 29 has a cut madetherealong. This cut or severance line extends outwardly from the inneredge of this portion of the outturned flange 30 through a point spacedfrom the inner edge of the lower wall 12. Thus the inner end of thisportion of the outturned flange 30 defines an arm 31.

It will be noted that the inner portions of the end walls 29 of onelateral section overlies the corresponding portions of the end walls ofthe other section. With this arrangement, the ventilator device may beadjusted to accommodate a roof of predetermined pitch withoutinterfering or destroying the watertight character of the end walls ofthe ventilator device. Similarly, the arms 31 associated with the endwalls may be bent into overlapped relation as best seen in FIG. 2 toconform to the pitch of the roof at the peak or ridge line thereof.

In use, the ventilator device will be applied to the ridge line or peakof a roof and may be installed on an existing structure or one that isbeing built. The ridge or peak of the roof will have an opening thereinwhich will be straddled by the ventilator device which may be adjustedto accommodate the roof regardless of its pitch. It is merely necessaryto shift the hingedly connected lateral sections towards or away fromeach other as diagrammatically illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. Theventilator device may then be secured to a roof by suitable nails or thelike. A caulking strip may be applied below the marginal edge portionsof the lower wall to form a suitable seal thereat.

The ventilator device will permit the hot, moist, humid air to bereadily exhausted from an attic space but will prevent the intrusion ofwater into this space. In this regard, it will be noted that upturnedflanges 13 are positioned inwardly with respect to the uppermost andmost inwardly disposed louvers 21 of the upper side walls 19. Therefore,in the event that water does pass inwardly through the openings 22 inthe upper side walls 19, the water will be impeded from flowing in aninward direction by the flanges 13 and will pass outwardly through theopenings 18 in the lower side walls 16.

However, the louvers 21 permit the hot, moist air to flow upwardly andoutwardly therethrough in a highly eflicient manner as indicated by thearrows in FIGS. 3

and 4. In this regard, it is pointed out that the flow of colder airover the exterior surface of the ventilator device produces an air foileflect or pull with respect to the hot, moist air so that this moist airis directed outwardly and is constantly exhausted.

From the foregoing, it will, therefore, be seen I have provided a novelridge line type adjustable louver device which is readily adjustable tofit substantially any roof regardless of the pitch thereof. This novellouver device is not only effective for exhausting hot, humid air froman attic space or the like but is arranged and constructed to preventthe escape intrusion of moisture into the attic space.

Thus, it will be seen that the present invention is directed to a noveland improved ridge type ventilator device, which is not only of simpleand inexpensive construction, but one which functions in a moreefficient manner than any heretofore known comparable device.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made inthe form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various partswithout departing from the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. A ventilator device comprising:

a pair of similar lateral sections hingedly connected together and beingpositioned in straddling relation with respect to the ridge of a roof,each of said sections including an elongate generally rectangular flatlower wall adapted to engage the roof and having its inner longitudinalmarginal portion bent upwardly to define an upturned flange,

an upwardly extending lower side wall having an outturned flangeintegrally formed with its lower edge, said outturned flange beingpositioned upon said lower wall and integral with the outer edgethereof,

an upper side wall integral with said lower side wall and extendingupwardly therefrom, said upper side Wall having a plurality of openingstherein formed by a plurality of inwardly struck longitudinallyextending louvers,

a top wall integral with said upper side wall extending upwardly andinwardly therefrom,

hinge means hingedly connecting the top walls together adjacent theirrespective inner edges for hinging movement of the lateral sectionsabout an axis extending longitudinally of said ventilator device,

vertical end walls at each end of each section secured to the associatedlower wall, lower side wall, upper side wall and top wall, the end wallsat one end of each section having an inner portion thereof disposed inover-lapping relation with respect to the inner portion of the adjacentend wall of the other section.

2. The ventilator device as defined in claim 1 wherein each end wall hasan outturned flange integrally formed with the lower edge thereof andextending longitudinally therefrom, the end portion of said end wallflanges being disposed in overlapping relation with the inner end of theadjacent lower edge end wall flange of the other section.

3. The ventilator device as defined in claim 1 wherein each of saidlower side walls has a plurality of openings therein located adjacentthe juncture of the lower side wall and its outturned flange.

4. The ventilator device as defined in claim 1 wherein the upturnedflange of each lower wall has an outwardly projecting longitudinallyextending lip integral with the upper edge thereof.

5. The ventilator device as defined in claim 1 wherein said hinge meansbetween said lateral sections includes a pair of internal elongate hingeelements each integrally formed with one of said top wall sections, andan elongate slotted outer hinge element embracing said inner hingeelements.

6. The ventilator device as defined in claim 2 wherein the inner lappedend portions of said outturned lower 5 6 edge end wall flanges areangularly bent with respect to 3,082,576 3/1963 Bailey 52-198 X theremaining portion of said last-mentioned flanges. 3,311,047 3/1967 Smithet a1. 98-42 3,326,113 6/1967 Smith et a1. 98-42 References Cited P 5 E.Primary Examiner 507,545 10/1893 Kinnear 52- 57 934,329 9/1909 Martin5257 5257 2,690,599 10/1954 Thompson et a1 5264 X

